Key Takeaways:
- The Bezos Earth Fund is contributing $19.3 million to a new global effort to reduce livestock methane emissions through selective breeding.
- The initiative spans over 25 countries and involves more than 50 institutions across five continents.
- Breeding will focus on identifying naturally low-emitting cattle and sheep without requiring changes to feed or farm management.
- Over 100,000 animals will be screened as part of the program, which targets both dairy and beef herds.
- The Bezos Earth Fund joins the Global Methane Hub in supporting coordinated, science-based methane reduction strategies in agriculture.
Bezos Earth Fund and Global Methane Hub Launch Multi-Continent Methane Reduction Program
A new livestock breeding initiative backed by the Bezos Earth Fund and the Global Methane Hub will fund research to reduce methane emissions in cattle and sheep herds globally. Announced this week, the program is supported by $19.3 million from the Bezos Earth Fund and $8.1 million from the Global Methane Hub.
The effort will fund public and private breeding programs across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. It aims to help producers select animals that emit less methane based on naturally occurring biological traits, without altering feeding or management practices.
“Reducing methane from cattle is one of the most elegant solutions we have to slow climate change,” said Dr. Andy Jarvis, Director of the Future of Food at the Bezos Earth Fund.
Selective Breeding as a Scalable Climate Solution
Methane-Efficient Traits Already Exist in Herds
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is over 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Studies show that even within the same herd, some animals can emit up to 30% less methane than others.
By using selective breeding, researchers believe that farmers can achieve meaningful emissions reductions without disrupting existing production systems. These practices mirror long-standing methods used to improve fertility, milk yield, or disease resistance.
“This initiative is a cornerstone of a broader global push to accelerate public-good research on enteric methane,” said Hayden Montgomery, Agriculture Program Director at the Global Methane Hub.
Bezos Earth Fund Grants Support Regional Research Initiatives
Investments in Dairy, Beef, and Indigenous Livestock Genetics
The funding includes several high-profile grants led by institutions across different livestock-producing regions:
Bezos Earth Fund Grants:
- $2.34M to the University of Nebraska for beef genetics in U.S. commercial and crossbred herds
- $4.85M to the Angus Foundation to incorporate methane traits into breeding in North America, Europe, and Oceania
- $8.7M to Wageningen University (Netherlands) to expand low-emission dairy breeding across Holstein, Jersey, Red, and Brown Swiss breeds
- $3.35M to the International Livestock Research Institute (Kenya) to advance methane-efficient breeding in Indigenous African cattle
Global Methane Hub Contributions:
- $1.7M to Uruguay’s National Agricultural Research Institute for beef cattle in Latin America
- $2.4M to the University of New England (Australia) for sheep breeding across Oceania, Europe, and Latin America
- $4M for rumen microbiome research across all projects
Long-Term Vision: Establishing Methane Efficiency as a Global Standard
The program is part of the Global Methane Genetics initiative, which includes over 50 institutions in 25+ countries. More than 100,000 animals will be evaluated to integrate climate-smart traits into livestock breeding programs. Over time, the initiative aims to reduce methane emissions from livestock by 1–2% annually, achieving a cumulative reduction of up to 30% within two decades.
“This work brings together the best of science, industry, and the global breeding community,” said Prof. Roel Veerkamp of Wageningen University & Research.
